Supporters of Obama, Romney work both sides of the street during president's visit

Saturday

Sep 8, 2012 at 3:15 AM

By Samantha Allen sallen@fosters.com

PORTSMOUTH — The extreme views spurred by the contentious presidential race and a bipartisan climate in Washington were felt strongly Friday as thousands flocked to Portsmouth to let their voices be heard.

With an estimated 6,000 in attendance for President Barack Obama's speech at Strawbery Banke, Valerie Earnshaw of Bedford stood at the corner of Pleasant and Court streets hoping to stand out. She held a white poster with the number 16 followed by 12 zeros to reflect the national deficit.

"I knew news people would be out here taking the temperature of New Hampshire, and I just wanted people to know that New Hampshire supports Mitt Romney," Earnshaw said, with dozens of other Romney supporters standing around her.

"And clearly, a lot of New Hampshire supports Obama also, (but) I' m worried. Our current president doesn't seem to care that we have a $16 trillion debt," she said.

By 9:30 a.m. Friday, a line for the Obama event extended for at least four blocks, snaking left toward the museum grounds just by the downtown location where Romney supporters set up camp. The supporters left by the start of the Obama's campaign's remark later in the day.

But, as hundreds of pro-Obama supporters waited in line, some tense words were shouted from across the street from Romney sign-holders. They exclaimed, "Read the facts!" and "Why don't you educate yourself?" while a woman motioned to one man holding a sign that read "Obama — Socialist Tyranny" to be quiet. A pro-Obama man tossed back, "It's not socialism."

On the Romney side of the street, a man who would only identify himself as "Obama, the Clown," put a photo of Obama's face over his head with a rainbow-colored wig. He honked a circus-style horn and hoisted a sign that read "Forward to Foreclosure." He also distributed fake trillion-dollar bills with Obama's face pasted on them, saying in a tongue-in-cheek tone, "I've got plenty more I could print."

Norm Olsen, a Portsmouth resident for the last 10 years, held a sign in the style of Shephard Fairey's iconic "Hope" image, with Obama decorated in blue and red, but slapped the word "Failed" across it.

"I listened to the Democrats over the last few days," Olsen said, referencing the recent Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, N.C. "It was very disappointing. They are trying to tell the American people that things are really better ... The Seacoast community's property values are down (and) any businesses here have actually gone out of business over the last four years."

Olsen noted he came out to protest Obama's Seacoast stop because he couldn't make the trip to Nashua, where Romney and his vice presidential candidate, Wisconsin Congressman Paul Ryan, were to spoke later that evening.

Romney campaign combats Obama's claims

Regarding Obama's key platform issues reiterated in his Portsmouth address on Friday, a spokesman for the Romney campaign referred to a statement issued previously by the GOP presidential candidate.

"For every net new job created, nearly four Americans gave up looking for work entirely. This is more of the same for middle-class families who are suffering through the worst economic recovery since the Great Depression," Romney said previously. "After 43 straight months of unemployment above eight percent, it is clear that President Obama just hasn't lived up to his promises and his policies haven't worked. We aren't better off than we were four years ago."

Sen. Kelly Ayotte echoed a similar sentiment earlier in the day, when she addressed supporters inside John's Barber Shop on Daniel Street. Ayotte joined the "Romney Bus Tour" on Friday, along with former Massachusetts Lt. Gov. Kerry Healey, and hit up several local spots including Fresh Water Farms in Atkinson and the Pink Cadillac Diner in Rochester. Ayotte is also scheduled to join Romney's wife Ann at Scamman Farm for Saturday's Chili Fest in Stratham.

At the barber shop, hours before Obama's speech at Strawbery Banke, Ayotte posed to the packed crowd, "Are you really better off?"

Portsmouth resident James Reilley, 78, a religious customer of John's Barber Shop, said he stood outside the establishment, hoping to catch a glimpse of Ayotte that morning. He added he has always liked John's, owned by John Russo, because of their conservative flair. Pro-Romney signs covered the shop's walls that afternoon, along with Republican paraphernalia.

"When I first walked in here, I saw an upside down photo of Obama on the wall and I thought, 'This is my kind of place,'" Reilley recalled.

A glorious 'blue' day

For all the disgruntled Granite Staters who arrived in Portsmouth on Friday to share their thoughts, dozens mores expressed their glee in attending the Obama event. Locals Andrea Donaldson, of Newmarket, and Nicole Pollack, of Portsmouth, patiently waited in line, saying they were thrilled to see the president, and even more excited the line was moving so swiftly.

"We only got here 30 minutes ago," Pollack said, adding her parents waited three hours in line earlier in the week to grab free tickets for the day.

"I'll always remember the whole day, and what happened," Donaldson added. "This is a great moment.

The local restaurant, the Rusty Hammer, celebrated the spirit of the community, serving up a trendy menu item called "Obama Burger," topped with ham, Hawaiian pineapple and American cheese.

Portsmouth resident Karen Conway waited on South Mill Street outside Sanders Fish Market with her daughter Britt, 23, to catch the incoming presidential motorcade, even though she had a ticket for the actual event. The two said they were glad the president sought out Portsmouth, Conway stating, "This is a great opportunity for the city."

When limousines whizzed by at about 12:30 p.m., one of them slowed, and a bystander shrieked when Vice President Joe Biden winked out the window toward her.

"His teeth were sparkling!" she told her friends.

Fifteen-year-olds Riann Tang and Sarah Lappin attended the event with their American studies class from Lebanon High School. Lappin said she couldn't believe she actually got to see the president of the United State.

"It was awesome," she said, moments after walking out of the Strawbery Banke grounds, helicopters whizzing overhead as officials prepared for the departure of the national politicians. "I wish I was old enough to vote."